“As remarkable as these trends are, they are unlikely to amount to more than an small sideshow on the margins of the mainstream if the only way we can conceive of confronting corporate power and bringing about a new economy is through our buying decisions… What we really need to do is change the underlying policies that shape our economy. We can’t do that through the sum of our individual behavior in the marketplace. We can only do it by exercising our collective power as citizens.”

The State Integrity Investigation mobilized a highly qualified network of state reporters to generate quantitative data and qualitative reporting on the health of the anti-corruption framework at the state level. Reporters scored 330 questions about their state’s accountability and transparency framework – what we call Corruption Risk Indicators – by combining extensive desk research with thousands of original interviews with experts from state government

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Here is a site where you can keep an eye out for your state corruption ratings and details. Worth keeping adding to your reading list. Our government for the people by the people can't exist as a spectator sport. We all have to do what we can to follow more the corporate news cast and step up to the plate. Maybe voting day should be a national paid holiday and two days to attend public meetings each year as well with verification of attendance required. No days off if you don't participate in citizens duties.

Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton earned more than $25 million delivering 104 speeches since the beginning of last year, according to a mandatory financial disclosure filed Friday.The former secretary of state — now a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination — also brought in more than $5 million for her book...

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Hillary earned $335,000 to speak at a Qualcomm event in San Diego. This is about as much a Bernie Sanders entire net worth.

Rubio says give a company a cut of your future earnings to cover the cost of your college. That might be an even better deal then investing in credit card companies because student loans cannot be forgiven….Just most likely not a good deal for the student.

The Greek election has also factored into the U.S. presidential race. On Monday, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders said, "I applaud the people of Greece for saying

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Wow! Crowds from the mainstream…..66,000+in Portland and 6,000+ of them showed up to listen to Bernie! He is not like a Russian style socialist….He is democratic socialist much like Germany and other European…and even the USA during the years after the two world wars…. Here is an interesting discussion based on how too many governments and policy have been bought out by the huge collection of wealthy companies and people…. If you decide to support him you may need to see if you are registered in a manner that allows you to vote in your states democratic primary… Independents, Democrats or Republicans sometimes can not vote other than in their party's State primary…..Some live where you can vote either way when you show up…I once registered democrat in one state I lived because that was were the main game was laid out in that state…then registered differently in other places for different reasons. You do have to be registered to vote in any election at all so at least register to do that…and then show up…Hopefully everyone will do their homework and not just count on corporate sponsored news to shape their decision.

Legislation to tackle radicalisation runs the risk of silencing and alienating children in our classroomsIf you care about children’s development and combating extremism, this is a story that should alarm you.

The Greek PM and his finance minister have been live-tweeting the debt drama, but the eurozone is striking back in the social media onslaughtPoliticians aren’t particularly renowned for a strong game on social media.

The 'Black Lives Matter' movement and the controversy over commemoration of the Confederate Army converged Monday when activists spray painted the slogan on Confederate memorial in Baltimore.

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

I think a better answer would be place a monument to a black hero close by in a manner that upstages this monument. Or push to have large bushes hide it. Not sure showing the angry, reactive side to a controversy is the best answer for change.

With the global economy undergoing fundamental transformation, Kemal Derviş argues that a new social contract is needed to account for the increasingly important role that individual preferences, and individual responsibility, play in today’s world.

Jeb Bush has maintained a national profile on the issue with which, as governor of Florida, he had sought to make his biggest mark: education reform.

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Great article on the creator of 3rd grade, reading purgatory. He should have a big war chest! Jeb hobnobs with the Koch's Heritage Foundation and Carl Rove's Super Pac and was a speaker at the ALEC conference this year as well…that's like more mixing money with politics than I thought could happen. That is like triple dipping into the biggest money that corrupts politics today.

So I didn't know this is a man that seeks to undermine public schools and privatize our educational tax dollars with government contracted private schools for profit. He was the first Governor to sign off on ALEC written policy of the Stand Your Own Gun Laws. I guess he blessed Florida with the Zimmerman situation that destroyed two families. Great articles ..it really lets you know who this guy is.

Jeb should fail weak readers in the 7th grade to improve his 8th grade reading scores as well…it appears that the gains from holding 8 year olds in reading 3rd grade reading purgatory don't hold by the 8th grade testing of those students.

Mississippi gets a grade of C+ for corruption risk and ranks 6th out of 50 states in the State Integrity Investigation. Find out why and e-mail Mississippi's report card to elected officials.

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Here is exactly how we can let state officials know we are keeping an eye out and staying involved in what is happening at our state houses. It is simple and speaks volumes to our officials that we have people in place keeping track of what is going on…..Don't forget many of these watchdog group are non-profit and not supported by taxes either….

Pick the ones that serve you best and support them to keep doing this independent service for us. Fact check the watchdogs as well as the groups that they watch or oppose them, look up criticisms of the group, follow them who or what they observe and watch over, and their opposition too for a while. The truth usually shows up to verify the worthwhile watchdog organizations and many have a legal team to call in to sue on behalf of wronged citizens and challenge what would other wise go unchallenged. The best and longer active watchdogs will have a track record of successful actions results already, as well as ongoing battles to make the world a better place and new groups that are good are showing up on the scene to help build awareness. we can also support them by sharing what they find responsibly…check it out as much as you can. No one has to be rich to participate in sharing and 3 to 5 dollar donations do matter when you multiple by a thousand+ people chipping in.

Freedom is not free we pay for it with our taxes and in the case of watchdog groups with our donations or volunteering to work in whatever way we can or work affordably if hired as staff….Enough small donations add-up and will keep watchdogs groups afloat….Most the core people working for these group feel their work is important and just want a good living so they can keep doing good work. They are not looking for not mansions.

These are groups that often lobby for our interest while our officials seem to lobby and be lobbied for corporate interest these days. Watchdogs actively help us participate while we might be too busy to keep up with every C-span video on important matters or read every news release and congressional action….These follow the trail, connect the dots and can zero in on what needs our attention the most while we all hearing and watching the same Hillary Clinton e-mail scandal for one or two months as though it's the only news in the world.

The best of these groups are limited in their watch….Some main groups today are Food and Water watch, and FreePress.net, EFF and others watching corruption in mass media, environmental watch groups, education watch groups and a large member group that runs across the lines of many issues are anti-corruption watch dog groups and get money out of politics watchdogs that send alerts to activities that look corrupted.

Demand Progress has open opportunities for petitions to be started last I knew and Avazz is an international watchdog action group with broad actions around the globe to reach out to those around the globe to draw attention to even un-noticed, poor people issues for those in countries that have little time or power to wage their own action.. When you join these groups for alerts they don't waste your attention…Their mail is either call to action alerts, awareness or occasional donations request…if you think they are worth keeping around then send them money or your old, but good running car or offer a room in your house if you like, but help them to afford to be there for us. By the way if you can start a petition on the White house link and if you get 100,000 to sign it Obama will consider it . The White house doesn't promote action to get signatures though like many action groups do.

Money-in-politics facts about the independent U.S. senator from Vermont

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Very interesting resource that over the years many media giants will site showing it is trusted. Hillary made in one speech Bernie Sanders entire net worth. Which one is likely to represent the interest of ordinary working people best? Not that any one of us wouldn't take 300,000+ to give a speech if someone ask us to. But still, does Hillary really need to moonlight as a big corporate speaker? We need more Warrens and Sanders in the congress and the White House.We need people will to be public servants for a while or even a life time…We do not need more people that use the positions to line their own and their families pockets and act as corporate servants.

Jeb Bush, like Hillary and most others, figure money will buy a win plain and simple. Jeb, the man that wants to hold 8 year olds in the 3rd grade till they can read on grade level that complained Obama uses too many big words and that ordinary folks couldn't understand his vocabulary. I guess the Bush boys didn't realize there are such things as reading specialist that can be used so weak readers can move forward without being held back and advance in reading skills as they move on with other courses throughout k-12. We really need to elect people that understand ordinary people including the idea that you can't explain to an 8 year old that failing the 3rd grade doesn't make that child a looser and a dummy…Bush also didn't do his homework or he would realize the research shows that students retained are 60% more likely to drop out. He also failed to check his follow up data because the gains on the 4th grade testing he sites to brag about do not hold up by the 8th grade or 11th grade testing.

We have had 20 years of Bushes and Clintons in the White House out of the last 30 years….All that time ordinary workers lost wealth and jobs…..Many jobs were lost to low wage labor in oppressed worker nations we signed trade treaties with already. Also, many jobs have and will continue to be lost to technology and this makes the reevaluation of how people earn a living even more critical going forward.

Is it time for yet another change Obama really could pull off? Is it time to raise up the American middle class worker again after decades of allowing American workers and families to fall off the cliffs, leaving huge numbers of children living in poverty. America used to be a place where ordinary workers could show the world how to work and have a decent life as well….We also do not need to be like Greece that next week may have to privatize much of what once belonged to the Greek People by selling national collective assets to the very companies and banks that cut deals that broke their country…Research it…..Retirement benefits did not cause Greece to get in this tough spot..…2008-2009 events played a major role.We are watching Greece turn into a 3rd world nation before our eyes….as the middle class is but even further into the poor house and debt for life. Third world countries have basically nearly no middle class…only very rich and very poor. And it is sad that the banks and wealthy that gained massive amount of money after the 2008 -09 crash that they made happen are positioned to pick the bones of Greece for even greater gains.

As Greek voters reject further budget cuts and tax hikes in exchange for a rescue package from European creditors, who is to blame for the debt crisis embroiling Greece? Is Germany trying to crush Greece to set an example? Will Greece leave the eurozone? What does this mean for the global economy? We speak to Richard Wolff, emeritus professor of economics at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and visiting professor at New School University. He’s the author of several books, including, most re

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Germany, France and other European countries just took over Greece for years to come if their parliament accepts the terms. They basically will lose sovereignty to their nation other than name only. This is a good breakdown about what is going on…It isn't early retirement that caused this like many articles and media personality would have everyone believe. The banks and deal makers that brought it on are likely to be the ones to benefit big from the deals Greece is getting.

As Greek voters reject further budget cuts and tax hikes in exchange for a rescue package from European creditors, who is to blame for the debt crisis embroiling Greece? Is Germany trying to crush Greece to set an example? Will Greece leave the eurozone? What does this mean for the global economy? We speak to Richard Wolff, emeritus professor of economics at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and visiting professor at New School University. He’s the author of several books, including, most re

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

Worth your time to hear this and understand a bit more of what is going on with Greece and how what is going on there impacts the rest of us. Look father into the role the 2008 bank fails helped bring this all on….It was not just the regular Greek worker or retiree that caused this problem as you will see if your research a bit.

At least 30 soldiers have been killed in the north of Egypt's troubled Sinai Peninsula following a wave of near-simultaneous attacks by Islamic militants, according to Egyptian military and security officials. The attacks, which took place on...

Irish parliament wants input into EU negotiations amid fear British departure could affect north-south relations The fragile political settlement in Northern Ireland would face greater instability if the UK votes to leave the EU in David Cameron’s...

India's economy is expected to grow 7.5% in the year ahead, driven by ever-growing demand for energy, infrastructure, and technology and high-quality healthcare. I've traveled to India to see what's happening.

Deliberate destruction and looting threaten antiquities. Is this the rule or the exception through history? Why destroy culture?

Monica S Mcfeeters's insight:

The attacks on historical sites in the middle east and now Egypt are a sad destruction of knowledge and our link to access communications from people of our past. Yes, it is our history there as well as theirs. Many of the stories of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims and those that predate all those faiths lay in the dust and artifacts of those lands. Here is a story of how often and why this has happened. This is an interesting read.

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